Your home is your biggest financial investment, but after buying it, you aren’t finished with the expenses. Something in your home is always requiring some type of maintenance or update. However, you must keep up with the additions and repairs of your home to prevent additional damage while maintaining your home’s value. Here are the seven most common things in your home that you must check routinely to maintain a home.
Maintenance Tip 1: Check a Home’s Plumbing Fixtures Frequently
Don’t ignore your home’s plumbing fixtures because a small leak can lead to additional damage. In addition to problems from moisture that can damage a home’s walls, ceilings or floors, a broken pipe can lead to water damage that causes mold growth and mildew odor. It isn’t always easy to inspect pipes, connectors and plumbing fixtures, so you must create a schematic of your home to help you remember where the items are located. Bring along a flashlight so that you can look at pipes that are in darker areas, and also, make sure to keep the area around the plumbing fixtures free of clutter. When you find a problem with a water heater or other plumbing fixture, repair it on your own right away, or you can contact a professional plumber for assistance.
Maintenance Tip 2: Protect Your Home’s Siding from Damage
It is essential to care for the outside of your home by caring for the siding. Cleaning your home’s rain gutters and downspouts can protect a home’s siding from erosion as water flows over the items. You will need an extension ladder to remove the debris from your home’s downspouts or gutters, and you can use a small shovel to dig through the buildup of debris such as leaves or dirt. Another easy way to clean rain gutters and downspouts is with a pressurized device that blasts away debris with water. Use caution while cleaning gutters to avoid falling or eye injuries, and also, stay away from power lines or insect nests.
Maintenance Tip 3: Eliminating Crevices and Holes That Develop in a Home
When you want to avoid having expensive heating and cooling bills, you must eliminate the holes and crevices in your home. While you may inject caulking in the openings when you move into a home, this material tends to degrade. Crevices typically are near the foundation, doors or windows of a home while holes are near water pipes or utility lines. If you are filling an opening that is near a utility line, then make sure to turn off the power for a few minutes before using the liquid caulking. Filling holes and crevices will prevent drafts, but it can also prevent infestations of disgusting insects and rodents.
Maintenance Tip 4: Cleaning the Dryer’s Vent Twice a Year
You should clean a home’s dryer vent at least twice a year to prevent a buildup of heat that can cause a dangerous fire. If a fire occurs in your dryer’s vent, then it will ruin the dryer in addition to damaging your home. Before cleaning the dryer’s venting system, visit a local hardware store to buy a new hose that you will attach to the back of the appliance. In addition to the hose, you will need cloths for dusting the dryer, trash bags for debris and a vacuum cleaner to clean the floor. Pull the dryer from the wall, and unplug it to remove the old hose. Use the cloth to dust off the back of the dryer, and also, vacuum the floor. Install the new hose according to the package’s directions before plugging in the dryer and pushing it back into the proper location.
Maintenance Tip 5: Repair the Floor, Wall and Countertop Tiles in Your Home
Most homes have a variety of tiles on the countertops, walls or floors, and these items can become loose or fall from the underlying surface. All types of tiles are made to protect the underlying materials from the damages of moisture or foot traffic, so you should fix the items quickly to protect your home. First, determine what type of tile it is to find the correct adhesive at a home improvement store. In addition to adhesive, you may need a grouting substance to use between the tiles. You may also need a substance such as sealant or wax to protect the grout or tile from the damages of wear and tear. Follow the directions on the adhesive package to fix the tile before applying the grout, wax or sealant.
Maintenance Tip 6: Fix the Roof on Your Home Each Year
You should fix your home’s rooftop at least once a year, but you may need to do it more often when there are serious rainstorms in your region. Climb on an extension ladder to look at the rooftop to determine if there are problems such as missing shingles, insulation or waterproof layers. In some cases, a roof can have small holes from degradation, and this type of problem will require a major repair. If you have a lot of physical strength, then you can fix your own roof with the assistance of a friend, but you may need to hire a roofing contractor or handyman for this type of home maintenance.
Maintenance Tip 7: Maintain a Home’s Heating and Cooling Equipment
It is vital to care for your home’s cooling and heating equipment so that you are comfortable, but keeping your home at the proper temperature also protects it from damage. Make sure to change the filters in the air conditioner or furnace once a month, and also, you must dust or lubricate the components to keep the equipment working optimally.
How Can You Learn to Maintain Your Home?
If you don’t know anything about home maintenance, then watch television programs that teach you about fixing things. You can also find books about home maintenance at a local library, or you can enroll in a home maintenance course at a community college.
About the Author
Caryl Anne Crowne is a contributing writer and media specialist for Mr. Electric. She regularly produces content for a variety of lifestyle and home blogs, based around the transitional obstacles that come with purchasing, inspecting, and making a house feel like a home.
